Tag Archives: Susan Kendrick

I had an interesting conversation today with a self publishing author whose back cover copy we just finalized. This author has good marketing sense, a great book, his gorgeous new front cover, and an innovative way of looking at things. So, we were both surprised when I suggested that he use his front cover on one side of his new business card for his medical practice, and he said he had never thought of that. He said this was the solution to the question that’s been running through his mind–how to mention his book on his card.

But why just mention your book when you can show it?

This was just his particular blind spot, But, we all have them, so I thought it would be a good idea to create a list of the places you can use your book’s front cover to get as much visibility for your book, your brand, and your credibility as a published (or soon-to-be-published) author as possible.

Now that this author has his completed front cover (title, subtitle, tagline, and design) and his back cover copy in hand, he can start promoting and building buzz for this book while he’s completing it. One of the first things he’s going to do is use his new front cover and back cover copy to approach the people from whom he most wants to get endorsements. We can then add these endorsement to the back cover (where we have left room) before his book and cover go through final production and printing.

As he gets the rest of his book publishing and book marketing efforts going, here are the places he can use his book cover to get the most visibility on a daily basis. Whether you have a new book on the way or have already published a book, consider using these ideas, too.

10 Places to Use Your Book Front Cover:

_ Signature on your emails
_ Your business card and letterhead
_ Each page of your website
_ Your blog_ Your comments on other blogs
_ With articles you submit to online newsletters
_ In the package you send out to get testimonials_ Each page of your book’s media kit_ Your speaker one sheet

_ ANY place in your social networking profiles where you are currently using your own photo
Happy Book Publishing!
Susan

Which comes first, the book or the book cover? This seems like a simple chronological question. You write a book and then you cover it, right?

But, to really answer this question, think about your book cover like you would the marketing message for any new product. Just like you saw and heard about the iPhone, for example, long before you could get one, you can use your book cover to create a demand for your book before it ever hits the streets.

Start your book cover copy while writing your book
or as soon as you get an idea for a book!

The sooner you create the marketing message for your book, the sooner you can get the word out and build a following. That marketing message starts right on your cover. Your back cover especially, is the at-a-glance billboard and elevator speech for your book. Done well, it becomes the tightly positioned foundation for all your marketing copy. It helps you generate pre-orders for your book, get endorsements, line up partner support, even get a foot in the door with the media, and more.

Keep in mind that you can create your book cover copy while you are writing your manuscript, but you don’t have to finalize your cover copy until your manuscript is complete and it is time to go to print. This flexibility means you can add a great endorsement or tweak headlines based on market testing.

6 Reasons to Start Your Book Cover Copy EarlyYour book cover impacts all parts of your book marketing process. Here are just the first six reasons to dive in now.

1. It makes it easier to write and/or finish your book. The front and back covers make it completely clear what the book is going to offer, to whom, how that helps them, and why you’re the go-to expert on this topic. In other words, your cover copy promises specific benefits to the reader; you can now write the book to deliver on those promises.

2. You have a powerful start for your book proposal, which needs to instantly hook agents and publishers.

3. You have your sales copy in hand to start marketing and pre-selling your book on your website, blog, partner sites, etc., before it’s even released.

4. You’re more likely to get those high-end endorsements you’ve been fantasizing about when you start that process early and have a powerful marketing message to share with those you approach.

5. You have instant, branding-building website copy ready to go.

6. You can easily turn your cover copy into a speaker one-sheet and be ready to promote your expertise to meeting planners, industry associations, and speaker’s bureaus.

To get all the details on how to give your book cover off to the right start-writing, design, production, printing, and more-order your copy of Cover That Book: Insider Secrets to Writing and Designing a Bestselling Book Cover, with an Introduction by Dan Poynter. This special package includes two bonuses, a free 20-minute coaching session, and free shipping. Click here for more info and to order.